Neri resigns as minister NT Staff Reporter Panaji March 2: The Velim MLA, Mr Filipe Neri Rodrigues, who was appointed Deputy Chief Minister in the Rane cabinet on February 2, resigned as minister today evening. In a simultaneous move, Mr Rodrigues also applied to the pro-tem Speaker, Mr Francisco Sardinha asking for certified copies of his disqualification file in order to challenge his disqualification in the High Court.
When contacted, Mr Rodrigues confirmed he had submitted his resignation to the Governor through the office of the Chief Minister today evening. He said that after his disqualification, he never considered himself a minister and had returned his car and other benefits. But as a matter of abundant caution, he also sent his resignation to the Governor today, he said. In a related development today, the Governor Mr S C Jamir urged the Chief Minister, Mr Pratapsing Rane to divest Mr Rodrigues of the ministership since Mr Rodrigues had been disqualified from the assembly. Quoting clause (1-B) of Article 164 of the Constitution, Mr Jamir said that Mr Rodrigues stands disqualified to be appointed as a minister for duration commencing from the date of disqualification till the date on which the term of his office as such member would expire, or when he contests any election to the legislative assembly, before the expiry of such period, till the date on which he is declared elected, whichever is earlier. The Governor directed the Chief Minister to comply with the constitutional provisions immediately, failing which the Governor would be constrained to take action to uphold the mandate of the Constitution. A press release to this effect was issued today by the Governor’s officer on special duty, Mr Sebastian Zumvu. As regards challenging his disqualification in the High Court, Mr Rodrigues said he today applied to the pro-tem Speaker for certified copies of the disqualification petition but had not received the same today. His lawyers were in the process of drafting his application to the High Court. In view of non-receipt of the certified copies, Mr Rodrigues was unsure when he could approach the High court. “We could not file our application before the court earlier as the Speaker could not issue us certified copies of the file,” he said.
